


Airtight

by nejkos



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: Alternate POV, Gen, MAG 15: Lost Johns' Cave, No beta we die like archival assistants
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-30
Updated: 2020-01-30
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:40:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 912
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22484278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nejkos/pseuds/nejkos
Summary: Statement of Alena Sanderson regarding her encounter with the Buried.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Airtight

**Author's Note:**

> I wanted to try writing a statement that would actually be scary for me, because usually I don't think tma really is? 
> 
> I don't know how well I succeeded but it's late and I just wrote this so I might as well post it

I loved my sister. When my life fell apart she was kind enough to let me in, and even introduced me to her hobby. Caving was fun, but it had always been Laura's thing so I was mostly happy that she would share it with me. 

Sometimes she was weird about it, going on about how safe she felt underground, how much she enjoyed the narrow walls. I was different. For me, caving was about the thrill it gave me, the knowledge that every trip could be the one I'd get stuck somewhere and no one would be able to help me out. 

Laura's presence was a comfort, I knew that if anything happened she could go for help, so the fears about dying deep underground only heightened my adrenaline. 

Lost Johns' Cave was different though. The moment we entered I felt a kind of joy run through me I'd never experienced, and when it seemed like for once, I was the one faring better in the cave, my mood only rose further. 

Looking back, I know that that was the first sign something was very wrong. But that knowledge hardly helps me now. 

After my joke with the rock, Laura seemed eager to get back and although I felt like I could go on, I didn't want her to be exhausted when we had to make the dive back out. So I agreed to let her go first and after waiting for a bit, got into the water after her. 

Immediately I felt it. Like the water had become heavier, and closer somehow. I pushed on though, because Laura was on the other side and I felt that if I could only reach her, things would be fine. 

They weren't of course. I emerged from the water and found myself in a tight tunnel that I could only crawl into. When I emerged from the water, it looked like I would be able to turn around and go back to look for Laura, ask her what had happened. 

But when my feet landed on the now damp rock, the ceiling was right above me. 

I felt it moving, closing in on me and I finally screamed as loud as I could. I screamed for Laura to help me, but the sound got swallowed by the rock. 

I don't know how long I lay there, only able to shuffle around a few centimeters and the with the rock right above and right below me. 

Then I heard it. A scream, like mine. But this time it was unmistakably Laura's. She screamed for a long time and I tried to scream back, to make her hear me so that we could do  _ something _ . But by then I could not even expand my lungs enough to breathe deeper than shallow, ragged breaths and screaming was out of question. 

I could only wait for her to stop. She didn't for a long time. 

I don't know how much time passed before I saw it. Light. Impossibly, there seemed to be a lamp in front of me, held by a pale hand. I called for help again, hope surging through me.

And then I was free. 

It was still dark, a pitch black darker than I had ever experienced, but there was space around me and I laughed. I thought whatever had been holding the light had saved me, freed me from that prison. 

It didn't, of course. Suddenly there was light behind me and I saw Laura, blankly staring at a bunch of burning candles. She didn't seem to realise I was there, for there was no reaction to my shout of delight. 

Instead she just started whispering. At first I didn't understand her, too caught up in the joy of being reunited. But then I heard. 

_ Take her, not me. Take her, not me. Take her, not me.  _

There was only one "her" she could be talking about, and as she continued whispering and chanting I felt myself sink into the ground. 

It felt like sand flowing around me, but smoother and without and give at all. It was like I was melting into the ground below, swallowed by the stone. 

I called out to Laura to stop, to wake up, to please, please,  _ please stop _ .

But she didn't. Slowly but surely I disappeared into the stone, and the entire time I had to listen to my own sister sacrifice me to save herself. 

I descended into darkness, the cold stone around me unyielding and cruel. There was no space to breathe and for about three minutes I had hope that I would die. But time passed and stayed in that place, no light, no air, no movement. 

Nothing. 

Nothing except for the voices. Sometimes I can hear cavers descending into Lost Johns' Cave. Excited about the adventure they are about to embark on. 

Every time, I try to scream. Every time I hope that this time, they would find me. That they would get me out of my stony grave and save me, or kill me. I don't know anymore which I would prefer.

Of course, no one ever finds me. No one ever rescues me.

I exist here now, alone in the dark without food or drink or light. I'm so thirsty.

But I think I'm part of the cave now. Laura bound me to it and as long as the stone around me exists so will I. 

Alone and buried. Forever. 

**Author's Note:**

> Please tell me if you thought this was scary! Thanks for reading!


End file.
